


the girl at sev elev

by 15dogs



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Bisexual Rich Goranski, During Canon, Gay Michael Mell, Gen, Michael Mell Needs a Hug, OBC - Freeform, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Rich Goranski Has a Squip, Seven eleven, Soft Rich Goranski, rich goranski deserves a friend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 22:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18926428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/15dogs/pseuds/15dogs
Summary: Andi Brown is just a teenage girl who works at Seven-Eleven who gets bothered every day by the same kid: Michael Mell. Andi hates how happy he is, how he always thinks that his best friend will always be there for him but she knows that that's never the case. She tries to warn Michael to be careful after hearing that SQUIPs are being passed out because she knows that they're too similar and, by that logic, her tragedy will happen to him.





	1. charisma

**Author's Note:**

> yee haw and welcome to my very first be more chill fic!! I'm really excited about this and I hope you guys are too!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> who is the girl at sev elev that gave Michael a generous pour???

"Hey! Sev Elev girl!" a tan boy in a red sweatshirt called as he burst into the grimy Seven Eleven. The girl behind the counter rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Why the fuck can't you just say Seven Eleven like a normal person? Or just not call me Sev Elev girl? Or, how about this? Don't talk to me." she suggested bitterly as the boy approached the counter with his signature smile.

"Ah, classic Sev Elev girl." he joked, causing her to flip him off. "Besides, I wouldn't call you 'Sev Elev girl' if you wore a damn name tag." He referenced her bland school clothes with confusion.

Every time he came during his lunch period she was never in uniform, but if he came after school or on the weekends she was in uniform. He never caught her name, though. But he blamed that on her since she refused to wear a name tag.

"Cancer slush and week old sushi?" she offered. Before the boy got a chance to respond she started preparing the slush, filling it straight to the top. She whipped back around and put the slush on the counter as the boy laid the box of sushi on the counter.

"You know me too well." he said with a smirk as he riffled through his wallet. The girl put a fake smile on her face as she rung him up. The boy eyed the slush with wide eyes and looked back up at the girl, her face set with angst as she hit each button on the cash register. "Looks like you're not so bad after all." he commented as he raised the slush to eye level, seeing how it almost spilled out of the cup.

"And it looks like you're still wasting my time. Money, please." The boy placed the money in her outstretched hand with a chuckle. She gave him his change once she finished the transaction. A woman in uniform came out from the employee's lounge, looking a little hungover. "Shit, that's my cue to go," the girl said quickly and quietly as she snatched a slice of pizza and a Monster. "See you tomorrow, slushie boy."

The boy waved her off as she bolted outside with her snacks. "Until tomorrow, Sev Elev girl!" he called. As she ran out the doors he heard her audibly scoff, making him laugh to himself.

His eyes suddenly darted to the clock on the wall. "Oh, shit." he muttered, realizing he might miss his best friend Jeremy if he waited any later to leave. He ran out the door, eating his sushi and sipping on his slush as he walked. As he was walking, he spotted Sev Elev girl scoffing down food in her car as she started it. The boy laughed at her weirdness; he always wondered why she acted like that. Plus every day she left in a hurry, like she was going to be late to something.

The boy made it to school just in time to see his best friend Jeremy. "Michael!" he cried, as he saw his friend stroll in, his headphones blasting Bob Marley. The boys chatted for a bit as they drifted over to the cafeteria. They had more time than usual that day, seeing as their next teacher was out and the school was unable to get a substitute. They sat at their normal table in the back when Michael spotted something strange.

"Hey, look!" he said, cutting off Jeremy as he pointed towards a very familiar face eating pizza, sipping on Monster, and staring blankly at her phone.

"What?" Jeremy asked as he popped up from his seat. His eyes scanned the cafeteria but they landed on Christine, he sighed lovingly before snapping back to reality by Michael's voice

"That girl! She's the one who makes my Slurpees every day!" Michael exclaimed. He slumped back down in his chair in awe that he had never seen her before. "It makes a lot of sense why she's never in uniform, now."

"Why's that?" Jeremy questioned, finally spotting the girl.

"She doesn't have time to change! She is a fellow intellectual, like myself, and eats Seven Eleven for lunch every day." Michael joked, acting cocky and looking disdainfully upon Jeremy's school lunch.

"You're such a dumbass." Jeremy laughed. He playfully pushed Michael who was laughing as well. 

Michael's eyes drifted back towards the girl and, for the first time in a long time, confidence overtook his body. He stood up and adjusted his headphones which were falling off of his neck as he walked towards her.

"Sev Elev girl!" he cried. The girl's body completely tensed up as she heard the familiar voice of a customer. She took one swig of Monster before slowly turning around.

"Slushie boy. What do you want?" she deadpanned. Michael shrugged and sat down next to her.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Well, don't." she said as she turned back around. Michael ignored her and continued to talk, a smile still plastered on his face.

"I didn't know you went here."

"Shocker." she said with a roll of her eyes. She stood up, taking one last bite of her pizza before throwing the half-eaten crust in the trash. She took another sip of her drink before putting earbuds in and walking away.

"Wait!" Michael yelled as he ran after her. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. They were incredibly close, something she didn't like at all. "I'm Michael Mell." Michael extended his hand to her although they were too close to shake hands.

"Okay." she said. And with that, she walked away.

"Nice going, player one." Jeremy said, appearing behind Michael, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I think she might be in love with you." Jeremy said with a reassuring nod before bursting into laughter. Michael scoffed and pushed the shorter boy making him stumble. 

"At least I can talk to girls." Michael and Jeremy looked over at Christine who was preparing for the audition she had after school. "Anyway, I'll wait for you after school until you finish your audition."

"Apocalypse of the Damned?" Jeremy wondered. Michael threw up finger guns as he exited the cafeteria.

"You betcha!"


	2. the squip song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> who's Rich Goranski??? what's a SQUIP???

After his audition, Jeremy went to the bathroom and ran into Rich Goranski. Michael waited unknowingly outside when he ran into Sev Elev girl.

"Oh god, you again." she sighed. Michael perked up and smiled.

"Sev Elev girl!" he cried, meaning no harm. But that was the very last time she wanted to hear those words.

"Jesus fuck! How do you not know who I am?" she yelled, exploding into a ball of anger. Michael jumped back, throwing his hands up defensively.

"Woah, I'm sorry. I'll stop. I didn't know it was gonna bother you."

"No one ever knows what's going to hurt you until it does." she muttered, teary eyed.

"Are you okay?" Michael asked, anxiously placing a hand on her shoulder to which she immediately threw off.

"American history, physics, and algebra I." she whispered.

"I'm sorry?"

"Those are the classes we've had together. See, little do you know, I've always been at this school. Freshman year, I was best friends with Rich Goranski."

"What? He didn't come here until Sophomore year." Michael said, bewildered by her.

"No, no, no! You're wrong! He was just a loser, like me. We were there for each other through thick and thin. I helped him with girls, his looks, even when he wanted to die, I was there." the girl's voice became shaky and unstable, frightening Michael. He couldn't help but wonder when Jeremy was going to be out of the bathroom.

"So...what you're saying is you made Rich popular?" Michael questioned.

"Would you just listen?!" she shouted. "We had each other, what more could he have wanted?" Michael was nearly about to answer when he realized the question was simply rhetorical. "Popularity." she answered after a few seconds of silence. "So he got a SQUIP."

"A what?" Michael asked, leaning forward a little closer to her so he could hear better.

"A SQUIP. You can't find it anywhere except for the black market...and Rich's hookup at Payless."

"I'm confused." Michael stated, crossing his arms. The girl looked straight up into his eyes.

"It's from Japan. It's a gray, oblong pill. Quantum nanotechnology CPU. The quantum computer in the pill will travel through your blood until it implants in your brain and it tells you what to do."

"That sounds...awesome!" Michael cried, raising his hand for a high five.

"It talked to him and told him what to do to be cool. Step one was get rid of me. See, we were nobodies, but we were nobodies together. That's what made life worth living. He was cruel. He still is. He's completely blocked me from his brain; he doesn't know who I am."

Michael was a little nervous; could it be true? Do things like that truly exist? He wasn't quite sure what to believe. The girl was a little wacky, for sure, but so was he. He let out a breath and broke eye contact with her.

"I'm sorry. That must have been difficult." Michael consoled.

"Difficult? My life has been a living hell ever since that fucking SQUIP." she spat. "Imagine Jeremy getting a SQUIP? What do you think it would do to him? What do you think he would say to you?"

Michael was caught off guard by the fact that she knew who Jeremy was even though, to his knowledge, never spoken before. He was so caught off guard that he didn't hear anything past Jeremy's name.

"How do you know Jeremy?"

"That's besides the point. Michael, listen to me. The SQUIP targets people like us, you can't let it." For the first time ever, the girl moved closer to Michael willingly, placing her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at her.

"Okay, okay." Michael answered, clearly disturbed.

"Good." She let go of his shoulders and moved away from him so they weren't sharing the same air anymore. "You have to trust me."

Michael looked at the girl. He admired her tall body, which was a little taller than Jeremy's, but not quite as tall as his own. Her endearing and pleading green eyes which were spotted with brown flecks. She was an attractive girl, someone Jeremy might like. Michael wasn't attracted to her, although, because he was gay but no one needed to know that yet. His mind snapped back to the matter at hand and he focused in on her determined face.

"I trust you."

There was a moment of silence before the girl began to walk away. "Andi." she whispered.

"W-What?" Michael stuttered. Did she just say her name? "Is your name Andi? Is that what you said?" Michael was completely shocked, he didn't think he'd ever get that far with talking to her. He just believed that she would always be 'that girl' or 'Sev Elev girl' in his mind. He couldn't wait to tell Jeremy about the progress he made.

"Don't get too cocky, there, Michael." she sneered, popping her hip out and crossing her arms. Michael's hands once again flew up defensively.

"Cocky? No way. Wasn't planning on it." He smirked and she reciprocated it before walking away.

Andi walked backwards away from Michael, unaware that Rich was leaving that bathroom until she turned around and ran straight into him. She froze and Rich did as well.

"Watch where you're going, stoner bitch!" Rich shouted as he strutted away. Michael watched as Andi's eyes welled with tears as she ran away from him. Rich walked away, unfazed, not noticing Michael as he grabbed his head in agony, looking back at Andi with watering eyes, and shaking as if he was being electrocuted. The second he stopped shaking, he trudged forward without looking back.

Jeremy then walked out of the bathroom with a dazed look on his face. "You'll never guess what Rich Goranski just told me about; there's a chance I could be cool!"

An alarm went off in Michael's brain as he eyed his best friend. Andi's words rang through his head but he dismissed them quite quickly. Maybe there was something weird between her and Rich, but for all he knew it was just a tarnished friendship and no supercomputer pill was at fault there. Instead he cocked an eyebrow and smiled, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about a Japanese, gray, oblong pill called a SQUIP, would you?"


	3. michael at the mall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yOU hAvE a bIRd??????

Jeremy and Michael sat on the edge of their bean bags, controllers in hand. They were playing Michael's favorite game, Apocalypse of the Damned, while discussing the offer Rich had proposed. Michael still couldn't push the idea that Andi had plastered in his head, and it drove him insane.

"I don't know...should I take it?" Jeremy asked as he dodged another zombie, his whole body jerking towards the right.

"Uh, what?" Michael questioned, completely zoned out. He died again, causing Jeremy to groan and fall back on his seat.

"Dude, you've killed us like ten kajillion times," Jeremy stated as he sat back up to stare at Michael. He noticed the weird, distant look that clouded his eyes and began to worry. "Still bothered that girl?"

"Who? Andi? No, not at all." Michael pauses in thought. "Why do you ask?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I don't know. You've been hung up on girls before but never like this. And you barely even know her! You don't even know — wait a minute, you know her name now?"

"Yeah, did I not tell you?" Michael was in such a daze what he had told Jeremy. He thought about Andi crying as she ran away from Rich; it was something Michael didn't think she was capable of doing. Showing emotion, that is. "She's weird."

"She's weird?" Jeremy restated. "Dude, I thought you were, like, in love with her or something." Michael shrugged and shook his head.

"Nope. What gave you the impression?" Michael wondered as he started a new game.

Jeremy shrugged off the weird vibes Michael was giving off. He never acted like that. Something was definitely strange about the way he was acting, he just didn't know why. Michael didn't typically talked about what bothered him until it got to a breaking point which always made Jeremy concerned.

"I dunno, just a guess."

The boys played their game in complete silence, an awkward tension between them. Both of the boys could feel it, but were both too shy to say anything. Finally, Michael said something.

"I think you're being scammed, Jer."

Jeremy's eyes quickly darted between the screen and Michael before responding. "Yeah, you're probably right." Jeremy sat in thought for a few seconds and then paused the game. "But...what if Rich is right? What if I could be cool?"

"Then you'd be too cool for hanging out, getting stoned, and m-" Michael quickly caught himself. He didn't want to sound like the sad loser friend who wasn't supportive. But he also felt Andi getting in his head again. She lost Rich, what if he lost Jeremy? He shook his head; it wasn't gonna happen. "-video games?"

"What? Dude, you know that we're always gonna be there for each other no matter what. Even if this thing is legit, which I doubt it is, I would never leave you." Jeremy explained. Michael felt much better about the situation. Jeremy never lied, he would never leave him. Michael would never end up like Andi. Or at least he hoped. A small part of him yelled and screamed and told him to stop Jeremy but he couldn't and he didn't know why.

"Alright, then. Should we try it out? For old times sake?" Michael slugged Jeremy playfully in the arm and smiled.

"For old times sake." Jeremy responded, smiling back.

"To the cruiser!" Michael cried as he jumped up from his seat, victoriously pumping his fist in the air.

"Jesus Christ, I can't believe I deal with you." Jeremy chuckled, letting his head fall in his hands.

After buying the SQUIP, Jeremy and Michael entered the food court and bought one Mountain Dew. They eyed the pill, both confirming that it was what it had been described to look like. Michael nodded at Jeremy, who then took the pill. He clenched his eyes shut, expecting something to happen, but there was no reaction whatsoever. Michael jumped up, confirming Jeremy got scammed, before running off to buy some weird vintage sodas, telling him he'll catch up with him later so they can play video games in his basement.

Michael ran through the mall, trying to find the store he was looking for. He eventually found it, and ran in to grab the sodas when he ran into another potential customer.

"Jesus fuck, can't I go anywhere without you bothering me?" Andi groaned. The guy who held the Crystal Pepsis eyed the two teenagers in confusion as Andi continued the transaction.

"Andi? Why are you taking my sodas?" Michael asked. Andi tucked the case under her arm and scoffed.

"These were up for grabs, not yours. Sorry, Michael." she stated as she exited the store. Michael took a few minutes to process what she said before chasing after her.

"Well, can I at least try one?"

Andi slowed down and glanced over her shoulder to see Michael looking a little somber. She cursed her sensitive heart as she turned around and sighed.

"I have to go home to feed my bird-"

"You have a bird?!" Michael squeaked with excitement. Andi groaned and shut her eyes, contemplating everything she was about to do.

"Listen, dumbass, I was trying to invite you to my house so we could drink the Crystal Pepsi."

Michael's brain went through a reel of emotions. He was sure that she hated him...well, at least sometimes. There was a bit of her that he saw in himself, or maybe he saw himself in her. He felt a little adrenaline rush when he talked to her, his confidence taking over; that rarely happened when he was with Jeremy. But then he remembered, he promised to hang with Jeremy after he picked up his drinks.

"Oh, well, I'm supposed to go hang out with Jeremy after this so...maybe another time?" Michael let out an earnest sigh as he shoved his hands in his jean pockets, avoiding eye contact with Andi. Little did he know, Andi felt more relieved than ever.

"Dope." she said before opening up a bottle, taking a sip, and walking away without looking back. Michael chuckled at her oddness before walking away himself in search of Jeremy.


	4. loser, geek, or andi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> andi is a big sad but stands up for herself??? sorta???

"Please, dear god, end scene." Mr. Reyes groaned as he threw his head in his hands. Andi stood up from her chair that was located in the wings and walked to center stage.

"Mr. Reyes, maybe you should call 15?" she offered. Mr. Reyes refused to look up, just stumbling his way to his office, reeking of Hot Pockets. Andi rolled her eyes and removed her headset as she called, "Places in 15!"

"Thank you, 15!" Christine's sweet voice called back. Christine beamed at Andi, and Andi forced a smile back. Christine was right about the only person Andi talked to before she met Michael; talking was an exaggeration, they waved at rehearsal and Andi gave Christine her lines if she forgot them. Andi was a stage manager, after all.

Andi's headset buzzed and she placed them back on her head. "Hey there, sunshine! You look happy today." Michael stated through the headset. 

"Get your ass over here." Andi sighed. She looked around the auditorium to find him and, lo and behold, he sat, his legs kicked up over the sound board, in the sound booth. He cheekily waved at her and she trudged up towards the booth.

"I didn't know you did tech stuff." Michael said, lowering his feet to look at the irritated girl. Andi slumped down in the squished seat next to him and kicked her legs over his lap.

"Same goes for you." Andi reached into her fanny pack and pulled out a bag of Takis, opening it, and sharing it with him. Michael reluctantly reached into the bag and slowly ate a Taki, eyeing Andi suspiciously. 

"I haven't seen you with Jeremy in a while." Andi commented silently. Michael froze and looked away from her.

"I...uh...yeah, he's been ignoring me or something." he muttered, trailing off at the end.

"Did he get squipped?" Andi shot out nonchalantly.

"What? No. I mean, he tried it but nothing happened."

Andi moved her legs off of Michael to face him. Her face suddenly became serious as she placed a hand on his knee. "He tried it?"

Michael's heart sped up from anxiety. "Uh, yeah."

"And it didn't work?" 

"Yeah. Nothing happened."

"You're one hundred percent positive it didn't work?" Andi's intensity made Michael shrink back into his chair.

"Uh," Michael wondered for a few minutes, Jeremy had been ignoring him for a while, but Michael couldn't admit his defeat so he just shook his head calmly. "Yeah, it didn't work."

"Alright...I suppose I trust you. It's just hard to believe that something like that wouldn't work." Andi shrugged and returned back to her normal bitter state. She snatched Michael's headphones off his neck and put them on.

"Hey!" he shouted as he reached for his headphones. Michael's hand was inches away when Andi smacked it away. Michael grabbed his hand and massaged it.

"Bob Marley?" Andi accidentally shouted. "Personally, I listen to Hendrix, but alright, Marley is good too."

"I like Marley more." Michael shouted over the music.

"I can tell." Andi removed his headphones and placed them back around his neck. There was a moment of silence where Andi caught herself; she was making a friend. She felt mortified as she stood up and exited the booth. 

"I...er...uh-" Andi was fortunately cut off by Christine who appeared behind her.

"Andrea!" Christine called. Andi cringed, knowing Christine didn't know her name but refused to correct her.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Jake invited me to his Halloween party, you should totally come, will you?" she asked. Andi panicked, and looked back at Michael, who she knew wouldn't be invited. She bit her lip and thought, hoping that Michael would hear her.

"Yeah, uh, totally. I'll be there." The words slipped out of her mouth and Andi regretted it instantly.

"Yes! I'll see you there! I'm so excited!"

Michael looked up at her, a little confused. He stood up and stared at her with furrowed brows. "I thought you hated the popular crowd."

Andi mentally nodded, knowing she had to do this if she were to protect herself from getting hurt by another "friend". "Maybe I'm sick of being a loser. You should be too." Andi shouted. A part of Andi wished she said that for show, but she knew that she meant that.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Michael whispered. "You're acting like...an asshole."

"No! I'm acting like how I should've years ago. I deserve this Michael, don't take it away from me." With that, Andi began to walk away, leaving Michael in utter confusion and anger.

"Deserve what?!" Michael shouted after her, his arms flailing angrily. "Deserve to treat me like shit?"

Andi turned around and glared at Michael. "Just go talk to Jeremy and leave me alone."

Michael huffed and slapped the side of the booth in frustration. Once Andi left the auditorium, the other kids assumed they could too, so Michael left as well. The one thing that chilled Michael out (besides weed) was a Slurpee but he couldn't even get that without a chance of seeing Andi! So he strolled around the back of the school, upset, kicking rocks around.

"Michael?" Jeremy asked. Michael looked up and saw Jeremy, wearing an Eminem shirt, trying to look cool. It wasn't working. "Where have you been all day?"

"Really?" Michael shot. "So, you're not the one who has been avoiding me?" Jeremy seemed taken aback. He looked around and had a confused and angry look plastered on his face. He turned back around to face Michael, eyeing him up and down.

"Seriously, what's up with you? You've been acting shady ever since-- since...it worked, didn't it?" Michael questioned. He saw that blank stare in Jeremy's eyes, taking it as a yes. Forgetting everything Andi had mentioned about the SQUIP, Michael excitedly squealed. "Jeremy, that's amazing! We gotta test it out -- no, we gotta' celebrate! We gotta'...get stoned in my basement!"

Meanwhile, Andi had ran home after her confrontation with Michael, tears streaming down her face. She ran down to her bedroom and fell onto her messy, gray bed and held back her tears. She slammed her head back into a pillow, letting out a grunt. She stood up and looked at the vanity she had gotten for her 9th birthday. Its age showed.

"You deserve to be the cool guy, the hero, or...whatever." she mumbled to herself in the mirror. "I already know what it's like to...be the loser. I should find out what it's like to...not be the loser." Andi laid back down on her bed, rolling to her side, looking at her old photos she had of her and Rich, messing around in Freshman year, not long before he left her because of some super computer.

"I never felt inconsequential...until high school began. I know I have no potential to be the leading man." 

Andi felt a few tears roll down her cheeks as she reached for a picture of the two of them. She eyed the photo before hugging it and crying even harder. She placed the photo down and let a few more ugly sobs before realizing what she had to do. She stood up and went back over to her vanity, drying off her tears and examining her red and puffy face.

"You deserve this. You deserve a chance to be cool. I don't need a SQUIP, all I have to do is try. I am my own SQUIP. And...if Rich even talks to me in the end then I'll be able to pretend I haven't lost my one real friend..." Andi let out a determined grunt as she stood straight up. "I can do this...for Rich."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very super new to AO3 btw!! so, in short, I have no idea how any of this works! if you like this please lmk! ty to those who have given me kudos on my fic (did I phrase that right???) so far! I hope everyone has a good rest of their day/afternoon/evening/night!!


	5. andi in the bathroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> andi and michael go to the bathroom??? wack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi hi hi!! this is kinda important but there's a song in here (if you can't tell what it is from the title or the summary you'll figure it out v soon) but pay attention to what they're saying and who says what!! because!! some things are changed around and lyrics are different sometimes!! ty that's all and enjoy!!

Andi walked into the crowded mansion taking deep breaths in a poor attempt to make herself less anxious. When she walked in she was immediately consumed by the roar of the music. She looked around the room and spotted Christine on a couch, her gaze solemnly looking off into the distance. Andi quickly walked over to her.

"Hey," she said to Christine, her voice barely audible over the music. "Are you okay?" Christine broke out of her sad state and flashed a smile at Andi.

"Yes! I'm fine!" Christine hopped up from the couch and eyed Andi. "Uh...what are you supposed to be?" Andi looked down and motioned at the number one written in sharpie on her shirt.

"I'm Thing One...?" Andi stated. 

"Don't you need a 'Thing Two' for that?" Christine questioned.

"Not everything is a two-player game, Christine."

Christine silently nodded as Andi looked around the party. Her eyes landed on Rich, who ran around like he was going crazy. Andi's brain detached from the conversation that her and Christine were having and she began to walk over towards Rich.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Christine called after her. Andi just waved her hand at her and followed Rich up the stairs.

Andi was running around, searching for Rich. She heard a door slam down the hallway and she ran towards it. She saw two doors right across from each other and she wasn't sure which one he was in. She took a deep breath and a guess as she opened up a door and revealed Rich, standing alone in a bathroom, glaring at himself in the mirror.

"Go away!" Rich cried. Andi felt her heart sting a little but knew that, even though he had completely changed, he wasn't acting like himself; sqiupped or not.

"Rich? Are you okay? You're acting...strange." Andi commented. Rich's teary eyes drifted towards her and Andi's stomach began to feel like it was bubbling with anxiety. Suddenly, his eyes widened and a slight smile appeared on his face as he rushed towards her.

"Andi! Oh my god, I'm tho thorry, I've mithed you tho much," Rich cried through sobs as he wrapped his arms around her. He rested his head on her shoulder and Andi awkwardly pulled him in tighter. "Andi...I want thith thquip-thing out of me. Thith ith hell! I thwear I never meant to hurt you."

"Rich," Andi said, her voice softening. "Please don't cry. I always knew it was that SQUIP in you that made you so mean. It must've been so mean to you, as well. I mean, look! Your lisp is back." Rich didn't respond, he just sobbed harder. Her red tank top had tear streaks rolling down it. "What can I do to help?"

"I don't know if you thtill do thith, but I need you to go to that-" Like a switch was flipped, Rich's personality completely changed. His eyes immediately stopped producing tears, his gaze became disdainful, and he hopped away from Andi. "What the fuck are you staring at?" Rich yelled. Andi's heart shattered and she backed away from him towards the bathtub.

"Rich? What's going on?" Andi asked cautiously. Her hands became sweaty and she wiped them off on her jeans, relieved that they were black so they wouldn't show the sweat stains she was leaving on them.

"Stop trying to fuck with me, stoner bitch. Just leave me alone, don't try to act like you're cool or whatever." With that, Rich stormed out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind him, leaving Andi in tears.

Little did Andi know, Michael was having quite the similar experience to her in the bathroom right across the hall.

Andi gripped the sink in front of her, shaking, examining herself in the mirror.

"I am hanging in the bathroom at the biggest party of the fall. I could stay right here or disappear, and nobody'd even notice at all." Andi muttered to herself.

"I'm a creeper in a bathroom 'cause my buddy kinda let me alone. But I'd rather fake pee than stand awkwardly, or pretend to check a text on my phone." Michael said sadly.

"Everything felt fine, when I was half of a pair." they said together unknowingly.

"But through no fault of mine," Michael said.

"There's no other half there." they both said.

"Now I'm just Michael in the bathroom."

"Andi in the bathroom at a party. Forget how long its been."

"I'm just Andi in the bathroom."

"Michael in the bathroom at a party, no you can't come in."

"I'm waiting it out 'til it's time to leave and picking at grout as I softly grieve." they cried. 

"I'm just Andi who you don't know-"

"Michael flying solo-"

"Andi in the bathroom by herself!"

"All by himself!" Michael passionately exclaimed to the sky. "I am hiding but he's out there, just ignoring all our history."

"Memories have been erased and I've been replaced with a newer, cooler version of me." Andi mimicked Jake Dillinger in the mirror with a scoff of disgust. "And I hear a drunk girl sing along to 'Whitney' through the door,"

"'I wanna dance with somebody!' And my feelings sink 'cause it makes me think: now there's no one to make fun of drunk girls with anymore!"

"Now it's just Andi in the bathroom."

"Michael in the bathroom at a party. I half regret the beers. Michael in the bathroom-"

"Andi in the bathroom at a party, as I choke back the tears."

"I'll wait as long as I need 'til my face is dry-"

"Or I'll just blame it on weed or something in my eye!"

"I'm just Michael who you don't know-"

"Andi flyin' solo-"

"Michael in the bathroom by himself!"

Andi's head spun around quickly at the sound of a faint knock on the door. The anxiety crawled from the inside out as she felt the feeling of a panic attack come on. Michael was feeling the exact same way as her. "Knock, knock, knock, knock. They're gonna start to shout soon." she muttered as she inched towards the door.

"Knock, knock, knock, knock. Aw, hell yeah, I'll be out soon!" Michael yelled as he, too, inched towards the door.

"Knock, knock, knock, knock. It sucks that I'm always alone." Andi's hand started to reach out towards the doorknob.

"Knock, knock, knock, knock. Even in this teenage battle zone." Michael's hand was more hesitant but it, too, reached for the knob.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang. I feel the pressure blowing up." Andi's hand was almost at the doorknob.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang. My big mistake was showing up." they both said as they jerked their hands back and ran towards the sink, turning on some water and throwing it on their faces to calm down. "Splash, splash, splash, splash. I throw some water in my face and I am in a better place." They both take a deep breath and walk towards the door. "I go to open up the door," the both slowly did, revealing one another in the same state. 

"But I can't hear knocking anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys are great and I appreciate it all of you!! have an amazing morning/day/afternoon/evening/night!!


	6. crystal pepsi and thing two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> andi and michael are sad but start!! talking!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!

But I can't hear knocking anymore.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Michael sniffled, wiping his nose on his black, long-sleeved shirt.

Andi shuffled awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with him. "No reason," she whispered.

"Trying to fit in with the 'popular crowd', probably." Michael scoffed. Andi looked up at him, her eyebrows furrowed, hip popped out, and arms crossed.

"I'm not trying to fit in with the 'popular crowd', okay!" Andi yelled making Michael jump back. Andi's disposition immediately got softer as she recalled her confrontation with Rich. "I was just looking for a friend...an old friend." Andi let a tear slip out of her eye and wiped it away quickly, her hand glistening as it fell by her side.

Michael swayed awkwardly before placing a hand on Andi's shoulder. Andi took that hand as an invitation for a hug so she wrapped her arms around his torso, sobbing into his shirt. Michael didn't know what to do so he let his arms hover in the air for a minute. Andi nuzzled her head into him as she sobbed harder and harder until Michael finally pulled her in closer, completing the hug. Andi's tears finally slowed down and she looked up at him cautiously, slowly backing away. Michael put his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet before making eye contact with her.

"So, uh...neither of us seem like we want to be alone right now," Michael noted. "And we both sure as hell don't want to be here either so...wanna come hang out with me?" Michael's heart raced as he knew Andi had rejected him every time he offered to hang with her, but something was very different about that time. Andi stared at him and then, suddenly, her face lit up. She nodded vigorously and grabbed Michael's arm as she yanked him towards the stairs.

"Your car, mine, or both? Whose house? What do you want to do?" Andi shot off questions that almost seemed prepared.

"You seem really excited about this," Michael yelled over the music as the walked down the stairs. "I'm glad! I think we both need some time away from our 'friends' to make some new ones!"

"Agreed!" Andi shouted back. The two walked outside, giggling like people who have been friends their whole life. 

"Wow, that's so much better." Michael commented, rubbing his head, as they exited the house. The two teenagers walked towards their cars which were conveniently parked across from each other. "But uh...both cars, my house, and...smoke weed and play video games?" 

Andi jumped with an excited nod. "Sounds awesome! I just have to make a pit stop at my house first," Andi reached into her tiny sedan and pulled out a ripped piece of paper and a pen. She scribbled down her number on it and quickly handed it to him. "Here's my number, text me your address. I'll see you soon!" 

About 20 minutes later, Andi showed up at Michael's door carrying a half empty case of Crystal Pepsi. She contemplated knocking on the door; had she not just seen the consequences of her last friendship? What if this one does the same? She pushed the bad thoughts out of her head as she knocked on the dimly lit wooden door. Michael must have been standing at the door because he whipped it open not even a second after she knocked. He stood in the door frame wearing his iconic red sweatshirt, his black glasses slipping down his nose.

"Andi!" he said with a smile. His eyes traveled down to see the case of Crystal Pepsi she was holding quite sheepishly and his smile grew even bigger. "Did you bring...?"

Andi awkwardly laughed as she shoved a bottle into his arms. "Don't mention it." she muttered as she let herself into his house. Michael shut the door and followed behind her, opening up his drink. He cracked open the door to his basement and motioned for her to head downstairs.

"You're not, like, a serial killer or anything that's gonna lock me in the basement, right?" Andi jokingly asked as she admired the chill layout of the basement.

Michael paused in thought. "Last time I checked I haven't murdered anyone...I think." Andi giggled at Michael's joke as she let herself fall onto a bean bag. Michael seemed hesitant as she erased the shape of a body that was once there but took a deep breath and calmed down. Michael also sat in a bean bag so he could face Andi. Both bean bags had the faint aroma of pot embedded into their fabric which neither of them quite minded.

"Did you really think we would end up here?" Andi asked after a moment of silence.

"What do you mean?" Michael questioned, taking a sip of his drink. His jaw dropped in awe as he stared at the drink. "It tastes just like how I imagined: like Pepsi!" he whispered.

Andi let out a quiet laugh before continuing. "Like, did you actually believe me when I warned you?" 

"Well...I..." Michael sighed in defeat. "No, I didn't. I should've listened."

"Hey, I get it. Maybe the girl who hates you who also just told you she used to be best friends with one of the most popular guys in school before he took a robot pill isn't the most credible source."

Michael shrugged. "Still." He began to get a little teary-eyed, avoiding eye contact with Andi. "I just wish I had my player two back." he choked out. 

Andi sighed sadly as she looked around the room. She spotted a sticky note and a pen across the room. Andi hopped out of her seat and scribbled a number two on the sticky note. She shuffled back over to Michael and stuck it underneath a patch on his sweatshirt. Michael looked up and pulled the sleeve towards him and eyed it, clearly confused.

"I know that Jeremy was technically your player-two but...you can be my Thing Two." Andi offered, tugging at her shirt to show him the giant "1" written on it. Michael laughed, the tears washing down his cheeks.

"I'd love to be your Thing Two." Michael smiled wide, a smile which Andi gladly reciprocated.

"I know this situation is sad...but when we're together it's not so bad. " Andi realized. Michael nodded, feeling a sense of comfort he hadn't gotten in quite some time. 

"It's just what we do, we've made it a two-player game." Michael added. 

The two sat in that comfort for a few minutes until Andi's phone began to buzz. She eyed the random number and picked it up with a soft smile on her face. Suddenly, her face went completely white. She dropped her phone on the ground and immediately began to shake.

"Rich..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys help I'm so tempted to write a collection of one shots and/or a harry potter fic I've had in mind for a bit what do I do??? also have a great morning/afternoon/evening/night!!


	7. the hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> andi gets a call and rich has a lisp!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short lil chapter ik but there will (maybe/hopefully) be a longer one soon bc this fic is coming to an end :( also sorry for not updating, I just finished my exams last week and am finally done with school (for the summer at least) enjoy the chapter gang!!

Andi's stomach dropped as she got up from the bean bag. "I have to go..." she mumbled quietly. She looked like she was slipping in and out of consciousness and Michael began to worry.

"Andi? Dude, what's wrong?"  he asked nervously. He, too, stood up from his bean bag as he began to follow her up the stairs.

"Rich set a fire and he burned down Jake's house." Andi muttered as she ran for the door. She quickly pulled her keys out of her pocket and unlocked her car, hopping into the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry, what? He  _burned_  Jake Dillinger's house down?" Michael called from the front door.

Andi put her car into reverse and opened her window. "You heard me! I have to go get Rich!" she shouted. Michael stared at Andi in complete awe as she sped out of his driveway and towards the hospital. She would drop everything to help her friends, even if they had ruined everything for her; Michael wished he was like her for that reason.

Andi arrived at the hospital Rich was at 25 minutes later. She quickly parked her car and ran in, stopping by the front desk. A young man sat there, clicking through something on his computer at the front desk.

"Can I help you?" he politely asked the clearly distraught teenager.

"Yes, hi, I'm here to see Richard Goranski." she stated. "Which room is he in?"

"Sorry, no visitors except for family at this time." he responded as his eyes flicked back down to the computer screen.

Andi made quick work of his response. "Oh! Well, no worries at all. I'm his...sister." At her words, the young man's brown eyes slowly drifted back up to her's.

"You're his...sister?" he questioned. Andi nodded quickly, her breath finally returning to a normal pace. "Right, well, room 108 down the hall, Miss Goranski."

"Thank you so much." Andi cried as she ran down towards the room. She flung open the door to see Rich, unconscious, lying on the bed. His body was covered in burn marks which made Andi's eyes swell with tears. She collapsed on a chair by his bed, letting her emotions take the better of her.

"I shouldn't have let you go so easily. I should've put up a fight. But no! I had to fuck around and make everything about me instead of just  _helping_  you. God, this is all my fault." she ranted through sobs.

Andi placed her hand on Rich's and squeezed it as she cried over his body. To her surprise, he squeezed back. Her head snapped up and she saw Rich's eyes fluttering open.

"None of thith wath your fault, Andi," he muttered. "I've mithed you tho much." Rich weakly lifted a scarred arm and wiped a few tears from her cheek with a faint smile, Andi's eyes glistening as she let out a quiet chuckle.

"I knew, I just  _knew_ , that that you wasn't  _you_." Andi rested her head on Rich's hand. "I just wish I had done something to help you before it was...too late."

Rich lifted Andi's head up to look at him, his whole body barely moving. "Andi, there wath nothing you could've done that would've changed my mind. You couldn't have helped me, and I want you to know that becauth I can't have you blame yourthelf for thith." 

"I love you and I've missed you,  _best friend_." Andi said, pure joy in her voice.

"I love you and I've mithed you, too, betht friend." A smile spread across Rich's face. It was weak but telling of how happy he was that they were finally back together. "And ath much ath I want to reconnect with you, I need you to help me --well, not me, Jeremy. He'th in danger, Andi, and he'th going to put everyone in thchool in danger. You have to go thtop him." Rich demanded. Andi snapped out of her trance and fell into confusion.

"Help Jeremy Heere from endangering the whole school? And how do you suppose I do that?" Andi asked, sitting straight up.

"Me and Jeremy are very thimilar-- our thituationth almotht mirror each other'th. I'd love to help you, but it lookth like vithitation hourth are up." Rich added sheepishly. Andi turned around and spotted a tense nurse standing in the door frame. Andi stood up awkwardly and nodded at Rich and then at the nurse as she ran out of the room.

Andi walked towards her car and finally checked her phone; she had tons of messages from Michael. She quickly skimmed through them and most of them pertained to Rich. She stopped and saw the last message which took her by surprise.

"'I can tell that you're ready to forgive Rich for being a total asshat, but I'm never going to be ready to forgive Jeremy until he changes. And I mean it.'" Andi read aloud. She never knew that his friendship could be broken so quickly, and she knew she had to help him.

Andi hopped into her car and drove straight towards her apartment. Her apartment was just outside of town so it took about 45 minutes to get there. As Andi passed through Middleborough, she found herself indulging in her own thoughts. Mostly about Michael and Jeremy, however. She wanted their relationship to be repaired as easily as her's and Rich's was but that was only because she forgave people too quickly. She passed by Michael and Jeremy's street as Rich's words echoed in her head.

_"'Me and Jeremy are very thimilar-- our thituationth almotht mirror each other'th.'"_

That's when it hit her. Andi slammed on the brakes of her car, grateful that no one was behind her, and made a sharp left onto their street. She drove slowly down it, eyeing the houses when she saw Jeremy pull out of his driveway in a hurry. Andi waited until Jeremy had left before pulling into the driveway and walking up to his front door.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also!! in case no one has told you lately or ever you are wonderful and valid and important!! you are loved and I love you!! talk to me on tumblr if you want to (@15-dogs) or find me on wattpad if you want to (@15dogs)!! i hope each and every one of you has an amazing morning/day/afternoon/evening/night!!

**Author's Note:**

> plug but my Wattpad is @15dogs and my Tumblr is @15-dogs


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